Food Preservation
Jellies
Why should cooked jelly be made in small batches?
If a larger quantity of juice is used, it will be necessary to boil it longer thus causing loss of flavor, darkening of jelly, and toughening.
Should jelly be boiled slowly or rapidly?
It should be boiled rapidly since long, slow boiling destroys the pectin in the fruit juice.
What do I do if there's mold on my jellied fruit product?
Discard all of the product.
Why did my jellied fruit product ferment, and what do I do?
Jellied fruit products may ferment because of yeast growth. This can occur if the product is improperly processed and sealed, or if the sugar content is too low. Fermented fruit products have a disagreeable taste. Discard them.
Why do crystals form on the jelly and how can I prevent it?
- Crystals can form on the jelly as a result of using excess sugar. This can be preventedby using a jelmeter to test the fruit juice for proper proportions of sugar.
- Crystals can form as a result of undissolved sugar sticking to the sides of the saucepot. This can be prevented by wiping the sides of the pan free of crystals with a damp cloth before filling the jars.
- There could be tartrate crystals in the grape juice that you use to make the jelly with. You should extract the grape juice and allow tartrate crystals to settle out by refrigerating the juice overnight. Then strain the juice to remove any remaining crystals before making the jelly.
- If the mixture is cooked too slowly or too long, crystals could easily form. Try to cook the juice at a rapid boil. When it reaches the jellying point, immediately remove from the heat.
Why do bubbles form on the jelly and how can this be prevented?
- If the pot was not held close to the top of the jar as the jelly was poured, or the jelly was poured slowly and air became trapped in the hot jelly, bubbles could form. This can be prevented by holding the pot close to the top of the jars and pouring the jelly quickly into the jar.
- Bubbles may denote that the jelly has spoiled. If bubbles are moving, do not use. You should follow the recommended methods to get an airtight seal.
Why is my jelly always too soft?
- Overcooking the fruit to extract the juice could make the jelly too soft. Try to avoid overcooking because this lowers the jellying capacity of the pectin.
- Using too much water to extract the juice could make jelly soft. Use only the amount of water that is suggested in the instructions.
- The jelly could be soft because of incorrect proportions of the sugar and the juice. Always follow the recommended proportions.
- Undercooking could cause insufficient concentrations. Cook the jelly rapidly to a jellying point.
- Having insufficient acid content could make the jelly soft. Lemon juice can sometimes be added if the fruit is acid deficient.
- The jelly could be soft if you make too large of a batch at one time. Use only 4 to 6 cups of juice in each batch of jelly.
What causes the jelly to "weep"?
- If there is too much acid in the juice, the pectins will be unstable that the jelly will weep. Try to always maintain proper acidity of the juice.
- If the storageplace is too warm or the storage temperature fluctuates, the jelly might weep. Store the jelly in a cool, dark, and dry place.
What does it mean if the color of my jelly is darker than normal?
- Overcooking the sugar and the juice will make the jelly darker. Try to avoid long boiling. It is best to make small quantities of jelly and cook it rapidly.
- If the jelly is stored for too long or at too high of a temperature, it could look darker.
What makes jelly look cloudy?
- Green fruit (starch)- use firm, ripe fruit, or slightly underripe.
- Imperfect straining - Do not squeeze juice but let it drip through the jelly bag.
- Juice allowed to stand before it was poured into jars or poured too slowly - pour into jars immediately upon reaching gelling point.(Work quickly)
What makes the jelly stiff or too tough?
- Overcooking could cause the jelly to be stiff. Cook the jelly mixture to a temperature of 8 degrees higher than the boiling point of water or until it "sheets" from a spoon.
- The jelly could be stiff if the is too much pectin in the fruit. Use ripe fruit or decrease the amount of pectin if you are using a commercial pectin product.
- Jelly could be tough is there was too little sugar in the juice and you had to cook it longer to obtain the correct consistency. When pectin is not added, try to use 3/4 cup of sugar to every 1 cup of juice for most fruits.